Thursday, 24 November 2016

A SURPRISE resolution by the ruling ZANU-PF party’s Mashonaland Central
province is giving President Mugabe the ammunition he has been desperately
looking for to end factionalism, which has left his party extremely vulnerable
with only less than two years before the make-or-break polls in 2018, the Financial
Gazette can report.

President Mugabe will descend in Masvingo for the party’s 16th annual
people’s conference as the only heavyweight in ZANU-PF’s presidium with a
secure job, having received the thumbs up from the 10 political provinces to
represent the party as their presidential candidate in the 2018 elections in
which he is likely to face his long-time deputy-turned foe, Joice Mujuru,
following their nasty fall out in 2014.

A resolution by Mashonaland Central — the bedrock of ZANU-PF’s support —
pushing for the amendment of the party’s constitution to allow members to vote
for President Mugabe’s two deputies in the same way they voted for the party
leader, would mean that none of the bigwigs in the presidium, with the
exception of the incumbent, is safe in the event that the resolution is adopted
at the conference.

President Mugabe and his two deputies, Vice Presidents Mnangagwa and Mphoko constitute the party’s
presidium.

Before the 2014 congress, the national chairman of the party was part of
the presidium, but the functions allocated to that position are now being
exercised by the two Vice Presidents on a rotational basis in what was supposed
to end the ugly factional fights that had broken out in ZANU-PF.

Political observers opined this week that the ball was now essentially
in President Mugabe’s court who, as the party’s first secretary and president,
has the discretion to determine what goes into the conference’s agenda. That in
itself, according to observers, presents the ZANU-PF leader with a perfect
opportunity to strike factionalism in the head by decisively dealing with the
“mischief makers”.

ZANU-PF is currently torn between two factions that are embroiled in a
bitter contestation to influence President Mugabe’s succession.

Before the 2014 congress, the two factions were led by Mujuru, the
former vice president, and Mnangagwa who, at the time, was in charge of the
party’s legal portfolio in the Politburo.

Mujuru could not survive a ruthless purge that uprooted her
foot-soldiers across the party’s political provinces going into the congress.
She, along with her key allies, were dismissed from ZANU-PF and government for
plotting to unseat President Mugabe, unconstitutionally.

But that did not destroy factionalism in the party. Another faction, going
by the moniker Generation 40 (G40) emerged immediately after the congress to
frustrate Mnangagwa’s bid to replace President Mugabe whenever he so decides to
retire.

None of the perceived faction leaders have admitted their role in the
internecine infighting rocking ZANU-PF.

In July this year, Mnangagwa distanced himself from the so-called Team
Lacoste, which is alleged to be propping up his interests.

Nonetheless, the infighting has spiralled out of control to the point of
paralysing both the party’s business and the workings of government at a time
when the country is faced with an economic crisis of gigantic proportions.

Last week, the ZANU-PF leader acknowledged the existence of the two
factions – Team Lacoste and G40.

He warned against successionist politics, saying those plotting to
take-over from him should rather redirect their energies to working for
development.

It now appears that the ZANU-PF leader could have the last laugh at the
five-day conference to be held in Masvingo between December 13 and 17.

On Tuesday, Dickson Mafios, the Mashonaland Central provincial chairman,
said the region had resolved to push for the amendment of the constitution to
allow members to vote for vice presidents in the same way they voted for the
President.

He said the current situation, created after the party expelled Mujuru,
was not democratic, adding that Mashonaland Central felt the
one-centre-of-power principle was not beneficial to anyone because those
appointed by the party’s President under this concept were not protecting his
integrity.

“The one centre of power concept came from us and we can have it
altered. We are saying we want alterations. The President is an elected
official, why not the vice presidents? It’s an appeal which we are putting
before the party and we want the vice presidents to be elected with at least
one of them being a woman,” said Mafios.

Mnangagwa and Mphoko were appointed into their current positions by
President Mugabe in 2014.

Mphoko’s appointment was in line with the 1987 Unity Accord signed
between President Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, now late, which obligates ZANU-PF to
accommodate a former ZAPU cadre as one of the two Vice Presidents.

In terms of the ZANU-PF constitution, the power to amend the
constitution rests with the Central Committee, subject to ratification by
congress.

It is either that any member of the party supported by 50 other members
or any organ of ZANU-PF may propose or move a motion for the amendment of the
constitution provided they follow proper procedures.

It would appear that the resolution by Mashonaland Central is in sync
with last year’s plans by the ZANU-PF Women’s League to remove one of the Vice
Presidents and replace him with a woman.

Also, Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Mandi Chimene, demanded
sometime this year that an extraordinary congress be convened to deal with
Mnangagwa if President Mugabe was hesitant to fire him.

This was after the President had been fingered for stoking factional
fires in the party.

It therefore appears that the proposal from Mashonaland Central fits
into this plan notwithstanding the fact that President Mugabe has previously
indicated that he has been with Mnangagwa for so many years that he would
unlikely conspire against his deputy.

Perceived G40 members are also under pressure, especially in the wake of
corruption allegations against Moyo and Kasukuwere, and allegations of
incompetence against Zhuwao.

Team Lacoste wants the conference to flush out those fingered in acts of
corruption in a bid to weaken G40.

Amid the conflicting pressures, it is now up to President Mugabe to
decide in which direction the pendulum should swing.

There were indications that Mashonaland Central province’s resolution
was unlikely to succeed given that there is insufficient time before the party
conference to allow for constitutional amendments to effect the proposals. But
precedent suggests that anything that has the backing of President Mugabe would
find support from members and sail through regardless of constitutional
provisions.

All the 10 provinces met to deliberate on their conference resolutions
at the weekend, with Mashonaland Central providing the most contentious
resolution after its inter-district meeting in Bindura.

G40 currently controls party structures after it successfully purged
Mnangagwa’s allies this year. They could use that numerical advantage to spring
surprises at the conference.

Team Lacoste members are accusing G40 of designing the latest scheme
simply to target Mnangagwa, saying their rivals were seeking to challenge
President Mugabe’s appointing authority. They accused Kasukuwere, who comes
from Mashonaland Central, of orchestrating the resolution.

But Kasukuwere said he had nothing to do with the proposal.

“I have nothing to do with the resolution. (Yes), I come from the
province (but) I do not meddle in provincial issues; I am a national leader. I
do not make the resolutions; the resolutions are made by the people so it’s
nonsense to believe I influence their decision,” he charged.

He also denied reports that the resolution was specifically targeted at
Mnangagwa saying: “I thought it was a resolution by the province to conference.
Let conference handle it. After all, we have not received resolutions from the
provinces. We will receive them on Friday then we consolidate.”

Kasukuwere has come under fire from Team Lacoste functionaries,
including war veterans, who want him fired.

They accuse him of orchestrating the purge of Mnangagwa’s allies from
the party, among them the leadership of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War
Veterans Association.

The entire leadership of the war veterans was shown the exit door by
ZANU-PF in July this year after they questioned its leadership.

ZANU-PF’s deputy secretary for legal affairs, Paul Mangwana, who is
believed to be a Mnangagwa ally, poured cold water on prospects of the
resolution succeeding.

“The changes will have to go
through the party’s legal machinery. So at the moment, we are simply hearing so
many propositions being made, but we are not in any way tweaking with the
existing party constitution,” said Mangwana.

He said ZANU-PF would need to convene a special congress to make
constitutional changes required by Mashonaland Central’s resolution; this could
not be done by the forthcoming conference.

Political scientist, Ibbo Mandaza, said Mashonaland Central’s overture
was a direct challenge on Mnangagwa’s position in the party.

“They are targeting Emmerson. They are hoping that through elections
they may be able to boot him out … It’s part of the succession fight,
especially given that G40 has regrouped,” he said.